Imperial

Chapter 5

My talons sank back into the earth, as I stared up at the dragons. Only one dragon remained with me — the sky blue dragoness that only lingered due to her master's curiosity.

Every other dragon was waiting in the air.

Unsure of what to do, I stared into the sky. After all these years of being unable to fly, was I really earthbound?

No. Not earthbound. There was no way I could be earthbound. Dragons were meant to fly – and even though I had not flown in so many years, I could return to the sky. The other dragons had, and so could I.

"You useless beast!" Master snarled at me with a yank of the reigns. But for once, I could not have cared less. Ignoring him completely, I focused on the sky, where other dragons were waiting for me. Where I belonged.

Determination filled me. I was a dragon, I could fly. Even if there was a human on my back, I'd still be up in the air! Air would rush past me, and perhaps I really would become that shining silver dragon soaring through the sky from my daydreams.

Carefully, I unfurled my wings. Bracing myself, I lowered myself to the ground, softly beating my wings, familiarising myself with the motion. Already, I could feel the wind, trying to lift me up into the air. But I knew better - I would need a lot more force.

Perhaps it had been years since I had last flown, but flying was instinctive.

Raising my wings, I focused intently on the sky. With a powerful thrust of my wings, I launched into the air, beating my wings to gain more and more speed. Wind rushed past, enveloping me as I enthusiastically climbed higher into the air.

Finally! I was flying!

Enthusiastically, I soared through the sky. So fast, that the wind was almost carrying me towards the Black Beast. Nonetheless, I continued to awkwardly pump my wings, admiring the way that certain angles helped pull me higher into the sky.

Yet no matter how excited I was each wing-beat was unsteady, making it even harder to reach the dragons hovering in the air. Gritting my teeth in determination, I tried to steady my wings, so that each beat was like a consistent rhythm until I neared the Black Beast.

Chains tugged at my neck, forcing me to slow.

Not daring to disobey Master, I froze. My wings remained flared by my side, not scooping up into the air to keep me aloft. Allowing us to plummet down through the sky.

I blinked.

Falling. We were falling. That wasn't supposed to happen. We should have been hovering in the sky, with the other dragons – all of which were still beating their wings.

Oh. How could I have forgotten that in order to stay aloft, I had to keep beating my wings.

Master uttered a curse on my back, his heels digging into my flank desperately. "Fly, you stupid beast!" His voice yelled over the wind. Yet he had not needed to shout; instinct kicked in as I thrust my wings through the air.

Dragging them down powerfully, I surged forwards, breaking the fall. Determined, I narrowed my eyes, even as I raised my wings once more. Each wing-beat was slow and powerful as I steadily regained my height.

"Good," Lord Raffael's voice rang out through the sky, and he ran his gaze over each of us. "Now let us go." Black Beast started flying north the moment the young lord stopped speaking.

Still excited to have made it into the air, I enthusiastically followed, careful to remain beating my wings whenever Master tugged on the chains.

Somehow, despite having spent a while earthbound, the other dragons easily sliced through the sky, making flight appear almost effortless. Even with my confidence growing with each powerful thump of my wings, I remained behind them, struggling to keep up.